


Second Rain of Autumn

by tariana



Category: Toy Soldiers (1991)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 07:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15529632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tariana/pseuds/tariana
Summary: Too little time, always too little time.





	Second Rain of Autumn

Joey doesn't envy Phil the walk to town in the rain. He doesn't know what Billy wants the spray paint for, and to his knowledge Phil doesn't either. Billy said he’s going to do something great, and soon. Joey doesn’t know what it will be. What Joey does know is that what Billy wants, Billy gets. And Billy wants spray paint.

So Phil had left quite a while ago, bitching about why today of all days it had to rain. Billy had just shrugged and said, “Terrible fucking luck, Phil,” and Phil had said “Fuck,” and gone out the door.

Joey turns on his side and looks out the window at the grey day. He thinks back -- he can only remember one other day it's rained since school started. It's been unusually hot so far this fall, so Joey actually thinks the rain is a bit of a relief. Maybe he should've gone with Phil -- not like he's doing anything here, anyway. His homework is actually all done already. He supposes he'll have to do Billy's chemistry later, but there's time. He doesn't think it's due until Wednesday, and this is only Monday.

Joey isn't sure why Phil went to get the spray paint and not Billy, anyway. Billy's on probation, sure, but that's never stopped him from going off-campus before. Joey turns back onto his other side, dropping the magazine he's been halfheartedly reading and looking down over the edge of his bunk at Billy. Billy is actually studying -- and it actually looks like chemistry from where Joey is.

Joey climbs down the ladder and walks over to Billy, pulling Phil’s desk chair behind him. He straddles the chair backward, and reaches out to put his hand on Billy’s forehead.

“Are you feeling all right?”

Billy looks up and gives Joey that smirk, that self-deprecating smile that Joey thinks is so –

(sexy but he can’t admit that)

– cute.

“It’s probably all screwed up,” Billy admits, gesturing vaguely at the scribbled-on papers in front of him. Joey has to admit it does indeed look screwed up, or possibly worse than that. He probably will have to redo it, but he’ll see if Billy’s gotten any of it done right.

“Let me look at it,” Joey says, and leans over to grab the papers. As he leans back, Billy exhales, a big dramatic sigh, and Joey shivers as Billy’s breath hits his ear.

Joey concentrates on the papers and carefully doesn’t look at Billy. He can feel Billy’s eyes on him, though, like he’s felt them so many times since school started. They’ve been (good then better then best) friends for awhile now, but the feeling of Billy’s eyes on Joey doesn’t feel friendly. It feels like much more.

What Billy wants, Billy gets. Joey knows this.

That’s why he shouldn’t be surprised (but he is, but oh, it’s a nice surprise and since when did Billy want him?) when Billy leans in, quick as a heartbeat, and kisses him.

Joey’s mind goes blank for a moment, and when it returns to functioning, somehow his fingers are twisted in Billy’s hair, and Billy’s hand is cradling the back of Joey’s head, and it’s (fucking amazing) so good, and then Billy says (moans) Joey’s name, and Joey is lost.

Suddenly, the door rattles, and there is Phil’s voice, saying, “Hey, guys, lemme in. I forgot my keys.”

Billy jerks away from Joey and stands up. Joey wonders if he looks as well-kissed as he feels. He wonders if Phil will notice.

He retreats to his bunk again as Billy lets Phil in. He feigns interest in his magazine as Billy and Phil discuss the paint (neon orange – of course Billy would want it obvious, whatever he’s going to do). He hears the words sign and rejects and baton and Ric and guard and thinks he knows what Billy plans now.

He grins in spite of himself. One of these times, Billy’s going to piss Parker off bad enough to kick him out, regardless of what Billy says – that Parker never will. When that happens, Joey won’t think it’s quite so funny.

But tonight – tonight, he is unconcerned. Tonight, his best friend kissed him. Outstanding, as Billy would say. Truly outstanding.

Joey drifts off to sleep, listening to Billy and Phil plotting, and wondering when Billy will kiss him again.

He is still wondering the next afternoon, as he stands guard as Billy pains the biggest, orangest REJECTS ever on the sign.

He is still wondering that night, as they sit in the basement drinking Billy’s truly foul mouthwash and listening to Jennifer.

He is still wondering the day after that as the headmaster inspects his indoors-out office.

He is still wondering in the cafeteria line, when the (can’t be) machine gun fire begins, and he looks at Billy with alarm, and Billy looks back.

He is still wondering while he waits with Snuffy and Hank and Ric, pacing nervously and watching the door Billy’s supposed to be coming out of.

He is still wondering as he glances at Billy before going with the headmaster back to his office.

He isn’t wondering anymore when he races to the top of the quad steps.

He isn’t wondering anymore when the first, then the second, and then the third, bullet hits him.

By then, he isn’t wondering about anything at all.  



End file.
